Tamil Nadu’s 2025 Online Gaming Regulations: KYC, Monetary Limits & Minor Ban

On 7 February 2025, Tamil Nadu introduced the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations 2025, marking a significant step in the state’s efforts to regulate online real money gaming and ensure responsible player protection.[1]

This regulation by the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority, Chennai, categorically defines an “online real-money game” as an online game in which a player makes a deposit in cash or kind with the expectation of earning winnings on that deposit.

The most notable provision is the prohibition of minors under the age of 18 from participating in real-money games. This regulation is in line with the state’s efforts to safeguard vulnerable players from the harmful effects of gaming addiction and prevent access to potentially risky platforms.

The rules specify that KYC is now mandatory for all players before they can engage in online real-money gaming. Players must undergo two layers of authentication. First, the initial login requires an Aadhaar, and the second layer of verification is an OTP sent to the phone number linked with the Aadhaar. This is a significant shift aimed at ensuring that only legitimate and verified users can access gaming platforms.

To promote responsible gaming, the regulations introduce restricted hours prohibiting login between 12 AM and 5 AM IST, monetary limits with daily, weekly, and monthly caps along with real-time alerts, and pop-up warnings every 30 minutes for players exceeding an hour of continuous play, encouraging them to take breaks and manage their gaming habits.

To raise awareness about the risks of excessive gaming, platforms must display the message, “ONLINE GAMING IS ADDICTIVE IN NATURE” on their login pages.

In April 2023, the Tamil Nadu government enacted the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, which, inter alia, prohibited online rummy and poker by classifying them as “games of chance.” However, the act was challenged as ultra vires. The Madras High Court, in November 2023, did not deem the impugned Act of 2022 as ultra vires, but the schedule of the Act, including the games of rummy and poker, was set aside. The court emphasized that while the state could regulate time limits and age restrictions, it couldn’t ban skill-based games like rummy and poker.

While several states have introduced regulations for online gaming, Tamil Nadu stands out for its stricter and more comprehensive measures, particularly in areas like KYC requirements, minor protection, and gaming-hour restrictions.

For instance, while states like Nagaland and Sikkim mandate player verification, they do not enforce Aadhaar-linked authentication or OTP verification as rigorously as Tamil Nadu. Regarding minor protection, although safeguarding underage individuals is a concern nationwide, Tamil Nadu has explicitly prohibited participation in real-money games for those under 18.

Goa and other states have also implemented some limits on gambling behavior; however, Tamil Nadu’s approach is more proactive. It focuses on time limits and mandatory breaks to ensure responsible gaming practices.

While individual states like Tamil Nadu are introducing their own regulations, India currently lacks a unified national framework for online real-money gaming. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had previously attempted to introduce a co-regulatory regime through amendments to the IT Rules 2021. However, the plans to set up self-regulatory organizations (SROs) to verify real-money games were eventually dropped.

[1] Gaming platforms, including Play Games 24×7 Private Limited (through Writ Petition No.6784 of 2025), have challenged the provisions of the 2025 Regulations before the Madras High Court. The Court has declined to issue interim orders, and the matter will be heard next in the second week of March 2025.